Street Fashion as Inspiration?

Can it really be? Yes!

One of my greatest sources of inspiration for interiors, other than nature, is FASHION. In this case…fashion viewed on two of my favorite fashion blogs www.garancedore.fr and www.thesartorialist.com.

On the street one sees all the elements of creatively wonderful design. It is a mix of color, texture and line that works. There is even the important element of being that fraction of a bit “off” that gives spontaneity to the design.

For example, it isn’t hard for me to look at these boots standing on the pavement and see a room in my mind with a black and white tweed sofa with a buttoned seat and welt in black leather. Next to the sofa, there is a green wool felt “womb” chair and a hammered metal floor lamp. I think I’d throw in a citron-colored challis pillow, too. Other than the tweed for pattern, this room is about solids.

This next ensemble inspires “layers”. What great style! Think of a brick-walled loft enveloped in this warm brown on the other walls and thick drapery panels with a tape on the leading edge in the brown-wine color of the leather jacket. Add a Saladino sofa (perhaps brown again or his beautiful skin color) with an inky navy cashmere throw layered across the back of the sofa and that same tape color on a leather ottoman used as a table.

Now we have a “bit of this and that”; this is pure fun. This look says a smallish cozy space with a lot of light and white. I guess the walls could be my favorite Benjamin Moore Classic Grey. There has to be room for a white French settee with a scraggly fur pillow, a vintage Vuitton trunk piled high with magazines and books and a favorite ombre silk scarf (see skirt!) encased in Lucite and used above the settee as art.